Today marks the formal beginning of a new video project here at The Monkey Mind Chronicles. It’s a project I’m calling “Tales from the Amygdala,” after the putative seat of fear in the human brain. (Alternative title: The “It Might Not Get Better” Project. But I’d like to stay optimistic.)
The idea is to post an original video — every Monday, if possible — from people who have struggled or are still struggling with anxiety and panic. The videos should be on the short side, two-to-four minutes or so, and the guiding prompt is simple: What makes you anxious? If you have an anxiety-horror-show story (you know, like the time you were so nervous you vomited on your history professor) please tell that. If not, then just say what anxiety means to you personally. What role has it played in your life? How have you coped? How would you define your relationship with your anxiety?
Today we have a great video submitted by the standup comic and writer Jason Good, whose hilarious and original blog I commend to everyone. And now, without further ado, enjoy basking in Jason’s insanity:
Please submit links to all videos (uploaded to Youtube, Vimeo, etc.) to [email protected]. And here’s another great video, from the standup comic and soldier Benari Poulten.
Thanks, Dan. I just read your piece in the Times which led me to your site. Thanks for talking/writing about this. It’s nice (in a sort of twisted way) to see how many of us are out there.
I’ve been suffering with an anxiety disorder for most of my life but didn’t have my first full-blown panic attack until I was 21 (in 1984). By 1990 they were happening multiple times a day. I’ve tried all kinds of recovery methods over the years and while (as you know) there is no quick fix or “one size fits all” magic bullet, I just want to give a shout out to doing EMDR with my therapist in 1998. (EMDR is a “hypnotic” treatment commonly used for post traumatic stress disorder.) I had tremendous results. I still suffer from anxiety but it has gone from living at a red-alert 10 24/7 to a barely registrable 1-2 on most days.
Thanks again for going public and I look forward to reading your book.
Best,
Rebecca
New York, NY